Rescue dog Roosevelt likely has just a few months to live, but his new owners are making sure those few months are the best he’s ever had.
Sarah Lauch first found Roo at Chicago Animal Care and Control in April after he had been surrendered because he had “issues urinating.”
“I saw him relaxing quietly in his cage as all the other dogs were barking and jumping to get my attention,” she wrote on Facebook. “He looked so sad and so weepy.”
Roo was rescued by One Tail at a Time and her friend Kelly Michael decided to foster him.
During a vet visit shortly after, Roo was diagnosed with bone cancer. The girls decided Roo would live with Michael to finish out his life.
Lauch said Roo doesn't know he is sick, so he acts like a normal dog.
“He is so strong. On the outside, you could never tell," she said.
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The girls started a bucket list for the pup, taking him on adventures around Chicago and to places like Starved Rock. They even started the hashtag #LiveLikeRoo to inspire others to make the best of the time they have.
While they said they don't have a specific checklist for Roo, they've been incorporating suggestions from supporters and their own ideas.
"People have set me direct messages and followers have invited us to their lake house,” Lauch said. “People are doing things with their dogs now and it’s awesome for me to see and it’s cool how it has caught on.”
She said that the while the girls try to stay positive with Roo, they know the end of his journey won't be easy.
“When we knew he was sick we got emotional. Reflecting on [possibly having to] put him down, it's tough," she said tearfully. “Even though we’ve known him for such a short time, we’ve adopted him and he is part of our family.”
While they know their time with Roo will likely be short, they hope his journey will inspire other petowners.
“Though Roosevelt has only a few months to live, we hope that he inspires everyone to #LiveLikeRoo now and forever,” the Facebook page read.
